[Kisei Takatō]

SLEEP NO MORE

Taka wasn’t a teacher, or a leader, had never wanted to be; frankly, in his own estimation, he never would be. His own teachers and mentors had been so overwhelmingly helpful that he couldn’t imagine filling their shoes, and was instead content to fulfill his role within the village structure, completing his duties as the Kusa Lord best saw fit. But he had an especially soft spot for his family, and a number of his cousins and nieces and nephews were becoming shinobi as they aged into their tweens and teens. He wasn’t a teacher or a leader; but he was an uncle, a cousin, a member of his family that his younger relatives put trust in. At that point, it didn’t matter if Taka felt up to the task, or that the role didn’t suit him—he would have to step up regardless. Today he waited patiently at the northern gate of Kusagakure for one of his Nakahara cousins: Kisei Sachi. From what Taka recalled, she was a sweet, bubbly teen some ten years his junior, but far beyond his ken in emotional intelligence and social capability. Smart, sensible, and an early talent in a variety of fields of ninjutsu, including medical. He had requested to be assigned to her next mission in lieu of her usual genin team lead, a request that had been readily approved; he was to journey with her to the northern town of Showa to protect a merchant as he moved a shipment from his orchard from his own village to Kusagakure. A relatively simple protection detail, but it had been notated as a C-rank mission, which meant there would potentially be some notable danger along the route. Taka shuddered to think of that massive spider he had helped take down, and hoped that he wouldn’t encounter any of its kind while traveling with Sachi. While he waited for Sachi to arrive, he went about his usual pre-mission preparations; checking his gear, filling his fuin pen, carefully writing out a number of explosive tags. He wouldn’t risk being caught unawares and putting his cousin in danger—if not a mentor, he could at least serve as a guardian, and make sure she made it home safely.

Kisei Sachi -- 370

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kisei Sachi]

"It took a while but somehow I made it.”

With a bit of relief, Sachi had finally made it to the north gate of Showa, Kusagakure. While she had never traveled this far, she remembered every route she could take to get there. She hoped to go on missions more with her teammates, but couldn’t be happier knowing that Takato, her older cousin, was assigned to the mission as well.

It only takes one glance for Sachi to remember a face forever, where her eidetic memory was strongest. Takato wasn’t around Hohei-Cho very often but came during important family get-togethers and the like. While only having a few chances to meet him, she remembered that he was very quiet and didn’t talk much with others which wasn’t common in the clan of businesspeople but the small words he did speak to Sachi were often kind. Sachi’s mother would often speak about how capable a shinobi Takato had become. Sachi later used that info with Takato as an example when trying to convince them to let her become a shinobi. Hair tied up neatly in two, she cheerfully made her way down the road.

Although Sachi generally excelled at most things, combat was not one of those things which made her a little uneasy but would rather not hurt anyone. Mistakes in the teahouse will still happen when you are training and it’s no different from training to become a shinobi. However, she concluded the consequences of making a mistake in battle can become dire, not that she didn’t trust Takato. She didn’t like to ponder on negative thoughts for too long and so shook the thoughts out of her head.
Shaking her head back and forth, Sachi continued until she could see the gate in the distance and Takato waiting by it. "Taka-niichan!!!” She energetically greeted, flailing her arms about before running up. Seeing someone familiar again, gave her a clearer head, like something lifted from her shoulders.

That’s right! I’m here to learn in the first place so I must remember everything I see and take with it me for next time, good or bad.

"It’s been a while Taka-niichan. I was extremely surprised when team leader said my mission was with you today.” She chirped, noticing the various pieces of equipment laid out for inspection.

[Kisei Takatō]

SLEEP NO MORE

Soon enough, Taka spied the burst of bright pink hair—though his little cousin wasn’t exactly hard to spot, given her flailing arms and energetic greeting. Taka smiled, small and reserved as it was, and offered a wave in return. "Good morning, nee-chan,” he said. He was almost comically subdued compared to Sachi’s exuberance, but he didn’t seem uncomfortable (or overly tired, as he so often seemed when trying to wrangle the twins). "It’s good to see you again.” He followed her gaze to his equipment: wireless radio, kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs, flash bombs, explosive notes, a small sealing scroll. He had a spare wireless radio, which he offered to Sachi, before clipping on his own earpiece. "Make sure you’re on this frequency,” he said, showing her his own radio. "Just in case we get separated.” That he glossed over her comment about her mission being assigned to him instead of her team lead would surely be noticed by someone as smart as her; but he didn’t want to seem too overprotective by revealing that he had made a particular request. "It’s good to work with a variety of people,” he said, a smooth non-answer. "More opportunities to learn.” He packed up his gear, tucking bombs and paper and weapons into various pockets until it had all disappeared, his silhouette as smooth as if he were never armed at all. "If you’re ready, nee-chan,” he said. "The orchard’s just up ahead. Anything you want to go over before we report in?”

Kisei Sachi -- 250

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kisei Sachi]

Kisei Sachi🌸

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

"I do look forward to working with many people, especially with Taka-Niichan,” Sachi said with a cheery, rosy expression. "I was assigned to a teammate after I had graduated from the academy, but I hadn’t met up with Gure Okingshi-senpai at all. I did read up on what I could about the clan but I all I could find was surface-level information at the academy library, although that’s a bit of a given, aha~” She displayed an energetic expression before asking another thing, "This is my first mission so if there is any advice you could give, I would be more than happy to accept Sensei!”


Once more, Sachi’s bright blue eyes fixated on the equipment for a bit soon after her reply. She gazed at Takato’s equipment and then, standing on her toes, she looked at the sheet for a moment, landing back onto her heels, head bobbing up and down nodding exactly twice. Her memory served correct as her headcount lined up with at least what was visible on the paper’s listings.

"Oh, thank you very much” She politely said as she tucked the earpiece into her ear and fiddled with the dials to the correct frequency. "How often are shinobi using wireless radios, and if so, is there a possibility of frequencies being intercepted?” She turned the radio to the side and then to the back getting a good look at the device. Sachi hadn’t dabbled in much technology so she was a little curious, deciding she would research more about the device when she returned home.

"I have a good understanding of the mission.” She affirmed looking towards the direction they were to head off towards. "Although, I would like Taka-Niichan to explain it, just to make sure.”


I never really use lists very much, but it seems it would be useful if I were to work with people. Sachi noted in her head that she should document her gear more often, in addition to field notes and other important things. Maybe I should keep a journal on me.

The young girl didn’t need lists in her daily life as her mental checklist was pretty good as far as she knew. This included what she needed, to how many needles were used up during training. Whether it was for communication purposes or gear expenditure purposes, it seemed important, similar to how a company has a ledger of its expenditures. She figured it didn’t hurt to ask. "Is documenting equipment usually necessary during mission work?”

Attempt by Necro

Some Tags here:Kisei Takatō

[Kisei Takatō]

SLEEP NO MORE

Gure Okingshi—Taka tried to think of what he remembered seeing of the boy’s efforts in the Mizu no Kuni Chuunin Exams. "They do something with… earth, I think?” he said, uncertain. He wasn’t exactly well-versed in clan politics, and knew even less about their secrets techniques and bloodline gifts. "Maybe you can ask him to give you a demonstration. It’ll be useful to know what he can do while you’re working on building strategies together.” She was as full of questions as she was energy. Taka only wished that he had more technical knowledge to share with her. "If you’re in a group and you’re traveling together over any kind of significant distance,” he said, "it’s a good idea to have radios to use as an option in case you get separated, or if one of you needs to go scouting ahead. Staying in communication is important, and radios are one of the easiest ways to do that. I think… maybe chakra can interfere with the frequencies, sometimes? Or it can be interrupted? I’m not certain, though. We can look into it when we get home, if you’d like.” He led the way into town, setting a quick but comfortable pace along the village roads towards the orchard. "We’re helping to deliver a large shipment of food and goods back to Kusagakure,” he said. "There might be bandits, animals, or other dangers on the road, so our job is to protect the merchant and make sure he and his goods get to Kusagakure safely.” He considered her follow-up question, and his own ritual of checking on his equipment before starting his work. "That depends on you and your team, I guess,” he said thoughtfully. "I like to do it because I want to know exactly what I have and where I have it; I don’t want to be in the middle of an emergency and reach for an explosive tag that I don’t actually have. On escort missions like this it’s also important to document the goods that you’re helping to deliver before you leave and when you arrive, so that you know everything is accounted for and that nothing illegal is getting smuggled in the shipment.” They reached the orchard, where the merchant was loading up three large carts drawn by massive draft horses. Taka lifted a hand in greeting. "Good morning,” he called. "Would you like some help?” Helping to load the carts would be a good opportunity to double-check the shipping manifest—he really wanted to set a good example for Sachi.

Kisei Sachi -- 424

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kisei Sachi]

Kisei Sachi🌸

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

"Hmmm, Taka-Niichan is right.” Sachi calmly agrees, tilting her head to the side, "I’ll ask when the chance arises.” Earth was rather vague since plenty of abilities dealt with the ground or nature components. If Taka-Niichan didn’t know, then maybe it was also a relatively hidden ability. She could feel the base of her heart spark with immense curiosity that she tried to dissuade by listening carefully to Taka’s explanation of the device and examining the earpiece with her fingers.

She examined the earpiece with her fingers, her face lighting up with wonder and curiosity as if Taka had read her mind.

"I would love to Taka-Niichan! Any information I can get my hands on makes me feel a little stronger since I’m not suited for combat yet.” She smiled up at him. "It wouldn’t be very ideal if enemy countries could listen in. I thought something like that could only exist in stories.” The thought worried her slightly but once she cracked at everything this radio thing had to offer, she would feel more confident with it.

The bubbly Kisei followed her older cousin as they made their way to the orchard, listening attentively as Taka explained the mission, its threats, and its objectives.

"I understand.” she nodded, having already read the briefing earlier when summoned for the mission. Hearing Taka explain it provided a clearer picture of what they were facing. She contemplated whether bandits were a common issue in the northern regions of Kusagakure.

"That’s good to know. I didn’t consider smuggled items at all.” Sachi was used to reading ledgers and shipment details as their family always had stuff coming through and into the tearooms and coffeehouses all over the country, from the Nakaharas or otherwise. The nefarious deeds of people outside of the family weren’t within her knowledge bank but now it was, and no one could fool this Genin now.

As Taka greeted the merchants, Sachi received an amused and dubious look from one of them, seemingly questioning why a young child was present—perhaps not noticing her forehead protector. To put their concerns at ease, she bowed deeply and introduced herself.

"Kisei Sachi from Genin Team 1," she said, emphasizing her shinobi status. She left the rest of the exchange to Taka, quietly observing the materials being loaded onto the carts. Her cousin inquired about assisting with the loading process, as it was part of their mission's account-keeping aspect.

"If they were smuggling something illegal, it wouldn’t be so easy to spot right?” Sachi pondered to herself, not daring to voice it since the merchants were nearby. If she had a glimpse of all the items recorded, she could probably parse the amount that was already loaded onto the carts. Her blue eyes darted to the massive draft horses, her face alternating between a bit of unease and uncontainable fascination with the animals.

--🌸--

Attempt by Necro

Some Tags here: Kisei Takatō

[Kisei Takatō]

SLEEP NO MORE

Sachi’s exuberance, though not quite infectious enough to break through Taka’s default state of much, much lower energy, was infinitely charming; he’d never given more than a passing thought to how radios and earpieces worked. He just knew that they did and how to use them, and left it at that; bigger questions were for smarter people, like Sachi, to work with. But her interest piqued his own, and if she wanted him there with her while she learned, then he would be glad to learn alongside her. "Sometimes,” he added on as an afterthought, "it’s not strictly our business whether or not there are smuggled goods; it depends on the mission description and what the end destination is. But it’s good to be aware of regardless, because smuggled goods can often be a target for more dangerous criminals.” Sachi introduced herself, the picture-perfect image of a polite young woman. Taka followed her example, echoing her bow and giving his name: "Kisei Takatō, operations team nine.” That was his official position as far as his non-classified paperwork was concerned; his ID reflected it as well, and it was what he always gave out if asked. He coordinated with the merchant to get a copy of the shipping manifest, and after exchanging a few more details about their end destination and what they were delivering, Taka brought the manifest over to Sachi to show her what it looked it. It was remarkably similar to the manifests that came through the Kisei teahouses, which was to be expected; they worked with a variety of merchants and farmers all across Nohara no Kuni. Itemizing the carts was a brief process, taking all of half an hour. The merchant was on the up-and-up, and it seemed nothing shady was afoot. Still, Taka took the opportunity to murmur quietly to Sachi, "Usually you want to check inside crates and at the bottom of the carts. Sometimes there’s extra crates, or containers are labeled incorrectly, and some of the more elaborate operations have hidden or trapped compartments. Just be thorough and pay close attention and you’ll be okay.” Once everything was settled and squared away, Taka peered back the way they came. "Do you want to take the lead on the way back?” he asked. "I’ll follow your direction.” It would be good experience, after all, and a good opportunity for Sachi to put what she’d been learning into practice. If anything went awry he wouldn’t hesitate to step in, but… he wanted to help build her confidence, if at all possible.

Kisei Sachi -- 426

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kisei Sachi]

Kisei Sachi🌸

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

"So, even if it wasn't our business to pry, any information to aid regarding the journey and the destination is still valued," the rose-clad Kisei mulled, reasoning with what the seasoned Taka-niichan had said. He did mention that it was only sometimes the case and continued pondering the statement, concluding that there must've been more to it. Perhaps, if it would directly cause damage to the country, it would be a cause for more concern. She noted to ask about it later at a different time, as they needed to get a move on.

When Taka brought the document over to Sachi, the overly enthusiastic Genin stopped paying attention to the large, towering horses and scanned the documents from top to bottom, effectively memorizing the manifest to a tee. It was extremely easy for her, given that the format was the same as the shipments that arrived at the many teahouses of the Kisei clan. She was a little surprised but given that part of the shipment would probably be delivered to the location in Kusagakure, it made sense. It just didn't fully register before that the goods from the supply chain needed protection during deliveries, especially since much of Nohara no Kuni was wildlife and farms.

She nodded acutely at Taka's words of advice on  potential smuggled goods, taking in the information carefully. Although, after covertly eyeing the compartments and boxes, nothing appeared to stick out. The itemized document also correctly reflected the items loaded up. She nodded twice to herself, giving herself a mental pat on the shoulder, turning to Taka's call as they were about to depart.

"Ah... well, I could," Sachi replied slightly apprehensively. With a breath in, she remembered that a close family member was supervising and that was enough to give her a lot of confidence. The number of routes she memorized back to Kusagakure from Showa was many, few included less-known travel routes or roads that were barely cleared of shrubbery and debris, which she quickly ruled out in favor of wider routes, even if those routes took longer.
Sachi turned in the direction of the path as they started to head out, going over the route with Taka to see if it was all above water.

The girl shut her eyes briefly, recalling the couple of maps she had inputted the data from, as if observing a picture frame in a museum. "If I recall correctly, this way leads past Nishigō towards Hohei-chō, following the Bonchikawa River. It'll take longer, but it leads directly to the bridge connecting the land masses between Hohei- chō, and Kusagakure. It's pretty much the standard cargo path, all things considered. That is…unless there is some other path that isn't labeled on any map." 

When Sachi had traversed to the orchard, she had found different paths than the ones written on the couple of maps she had seen, potentially man-made, judging by how the path was created. She noted to herself that areas less traveled or less talked about could have more crimes since fewer witnesses traveled through, and there was still the possibility that a local would know more about common paths that weren't yet marked on any map.

–🌸-

Attempt by Necro
Tags: Kisei Takatō

[Kisei Takatō]

SLEEP NO MORE

Sachi was attentive and thoughtful, taking in Taka’s words as carefully as if he were reading from a textbook. He felt a spike of anxiety lance through his gut at the thought: he was not actually her team leader, was not qualified to be so, and what if she took his words as gospel? What if she followed his advice, and was hurt or worse as a result? But she was a smart girl, smarter than he was. He may have had more experience, but her sharp intellect would allow her to take the advice that worked for her and shed the rest—learning was as much about application of knowledge as it was gaining the knowledge itself, and Sachi surely knew that better than most. Taka was permanently in doubt of his own abilities, but he had utter faith in Sachi’s. "Your memory is incredible,” he said. He knew she had an eidetic memory, but seeing it in action was something else entirely. "If you think that’s our best option, then we should travel that way. What would you like my role to be en route?” Privately, he thought she was correct, but he didn’t want to offer his opinion too strongly in any direction: it was critical that she make her own decisions based on her own instinct and information.

Kisei Sachi -- 221

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kisei Sachi]

Kisei Sachi🌸

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

Her face lit up at her older cousin's praise. It was common praise Sachi had received throughout her life, but hearing compliments from close ones always made her heart jump for joy. "Thank you, Nii-chan!" she replied, her smile beaming like sun rays from her small form. "A lot of people say so but hearing it from Taka-Niichan makes me happy."

Sachi's blue eyes blinked twice as if recalling something important. "I believe the only issue we will have with the path is that sometimes fellows in bad faith like to show their heads. Yasuha-Ojiisan, the owner of the traveling goods shop three blocks down from the cafe, told me that lately there was a group of around 4-6 individuals that have been targeting shipments for around a couple of months now, between the areas of Yugawa and Hohei-Cho," she explained, responding first to Taka's suggestion, sharing a small tidbit she had received from one of the locals in the business sector.

"I didn't fact check the information, but Ojii-san gets high quality shipments once a week, so it appears to be concurrent. I also know his supplies run through this way. In addition, believe Kusagakure's Kisei Café also had missing items recently in their shipments, but I don't know if it's because of the same reason." She wasn't aware of which shipment routes their deliveries came through, at least for the location in Kusagakure. The young Kisei never asked and assumed they came through Hohei-Cho first because of their larger locations and then to Kusagakure no Sato. She noted to investigate that later when she had some time.

The rosy kunoichi tilted her head, her small hand gripping her chin as she thought of a possible answer to her cousin’s question. She wasn't aware of all the capabilities of her close relative, so she tried to think of a good answer based on what she knew.

"Probably..if Nii-chan could scout ahead on the trail for possible signs of anything suspicious or otherwise... I feel like it would be best," she replied apprehensively but then concluded that her logic was sound with a clap of her hands. "I've only read about signs one needs to look for when it comes to ambushes or potential threats from animals and people, even natural disasters, but I don't know what the signs look like since I've never been in that type of situation." There was only so much one could learn from reading, and the images she had been provided were sparse at best. "If there was something suspicious, what are the first signs you would look for, Taka-niichan?"

–🌸-

Attempt by Necro
Tags:Kisei Takatō

[Kisei Takatō]

SLEEP NO MORE

Taka often struggled with expression—the deep bags under his eyes and the flat, slightly downturned bend of his mouth gave him a severe case of resting bitch face, and it was difficult for emotion to worm its way through. But Sachi was like the sun, her bright warmth softening the hardness of Taka’s features, making him look more awake, more alive. He smiled, small but sincere. He listened carefully as Sachi cleanly laid out the information she had gathered prior—not part of the mission parameters, but she was three steps ahead of Taka already, staying apprised of local news and rumors to help build context around a mission objective and potential threats to be aware of. In certain circumstances, knowing that a potential travel route was being waylaid by a group of individuals might be reason to avoid that route in order to more efficiently accomplish the mission objective, but if a team had time and capacity, then taking care of the source of the route’s woes would do more good in the long run. Taka very nearly said as much, but instead he elected to keep his peace: he said Sachi should run this show, and he meant it. "I can do that,” he said, nodding. Then, thoughtfully: "I’ve put you at an unfair disadvantage; normally you’re more used to working with a regular team, and would know their skill sets well. I’m specialized in tracking and hand-to-hand combat, so scouting is a good option for me.” Her follow-up question was more complicated, and required more pensive thought. "It depends on the type of ambush, the goal of the ambushers, and who the ambushers are,” he said. "Regular bandits will usually set up a kind of diversion that will separate your party or make you focus on one thing instead of your surroundings, like an overturned cart in the road or someone pretending to be injured. Shinobi might use fuin traps or transformation techniques to hide their whereabouts or take you by surprise. Areas with dense foliage or lots of cover or high ground tend to be more dangerous, since enemies will have a territorial advantage, and you want to keep an eye out for any sign that there’s been movement through an area: broken twigs on the ground, snapped branches, disturbed leaves, whether or not dust or dirt is settled, presence of animals, things along those lines.” Taka wasn’t used to talking so much; it was so rare that he was the one educating instead of being educated, and in the vast majority of scenarios he was far from verbose. There was a part of him that wanted to step up to the standard Sachi was setting: she was being so thorough, so thoughtful, that it felt disrespectful and cheap to not offer the same thoroughness and thoughtfulness in kind. Unless Sachi had any other questions, Taka would pull the trigger on getting their journey started; no sense in wasting daylight hours. "I’ll go ahead, then,” he said after a moment. "Back in ten.” And he took off, there one moment and gone the next, disappearing down the road in a flicker of movement so whisper-soft that he may never have been there at all.

Kisei Sachi -- 537

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kisei Sachi]

Kisei Sachi🌸

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

The young Kisei was quite familiar with her older cousin Taka's appearance and personality, despite not meeting him too often due to his busy schedule. Even as a young child, she had a fondness for him, and over the years, she had subconsciously picked up on small indications that he was happy to be around her.

She nodded as Taka concurred with her plan. "I figured as much based on your position," she replied, looking up at him. His thoughtful yet humbled statement made her tilt her head in ponderance. "Personally, I don't think I'm heavily disadvantaged at all," she continued, her voice filled with confidence.

"After all, a seasoned shinobi like yourself knows more about their limitations and abilities than me. I'm sure my teammates are like myself in that way. Although, I've only been training for two and a half years, so I really can't say for sure." She smiled acutely, attempting to reassure her Niichan with logic. "An old acquaintance of mine often said that I must know myself as well as others to be successful in a team, and my teammates must also be aware of their capabilities to be effective in life and war."

Sachi acknowledged, "...and oftentimes because I'm inexperienced, I let my senpais make mission decisions and observe." Her belief in observation and learning before acting was evident. With individuals possessing more experience in the field, this approach had become her foundation in the early stages of her shinobi career. However, unknowingly, this method had at times impeded her progress. Taka had presented her with a golden opportunity to apply the knowledge she often kept to herself.

As Taka began explaining the signs of an ambush, Sachi found herself reminded of classic stories about scams and ambushes, where people would act injured or distracted to create an opportunity for theft. She realized that these tales held practical applications in real-life situations, and she was eager to learn from her cousin's wisdom. As Taka continued, she absorbed the information into her head like a sponge, and with a single nod she uttered "I see.” She withheld other questions for later so that Taka could start scouting ahead.

Without a second to waste, her mission mentor was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving the young Genin to her own devices. Her keen senses were on high alert as she scanned her surroundings, knowing that he would return unless something prevented him from doing so. They were moving at a pace that would likely get them to their destination right before nightfall, minimizing the risks associated with traveling in the dark.

Around the 6-minute mark, Sachi's acute senses picked up faint sounds of footsteps and rustling bushes, masked by the wind and other wildlife, roughly 300 meters behind them. The sounds were subtle, but she also detected faint whispers and an iron-like scent carried on the wind. It didn't appear to be an immediate danger, but even so, Sachi was on her guard, especially since she couldn't spot anything on the road behind them. Additionally, they were still far from an area commonly populated, so Sachi reminded herself that she had weaponry at her disposal. She discreetly retrieved a couple of senbon needles, holding them in her palm without alerting suspicion that she was aware of the strange sounds.

"Ah, right the radio,” She thought to herself, her mind occupied with the sudden danger that she missed the method of communication that Taka had given to her before they departed. Sachi felt that they wouldn’t be able to see her at this distance but to be safe, she skipped to the other side of the cart as if to make conversation with their employer, the large cart horses blocking vision of her from the left of the cart. After pressing the button on the radio, she whispered into it, making sure to keep her voice low enough to avoid being overheard by their employer, while voicing her concerns to her cousin, who was out scouting for another 4 minutes.

"I’m hearing footsteps and sounds 300 meters from behind the cart and it doesn’t sound like wildlife.” She alerted believing it to not be her imagination.

–🌸-

Attempt by Necro
Tags:Kisei Takatō

[Kisei Takatō]

SLEEP NO MORE

Part of Sachi’s charm, Taka thought, was how utterly sensible she was. He knew it could not have been true, that she was as fallible as anyone else, but she seemed completely immune to the insecurity that plagued him; yet she also never seemed arrogant. Confident yet humble, skilled but practical. "A wise acquaintance,” he said softly. "But it’s important to practice taking the reins yourself, even if you think you don’t have enough experience. There might come a time when you don’t have any other choice.” It wasn’t uncommon for the chain of command to get disrupted mid-mission, for one reason or another; he’d experienced that acutely himself in recent memory, left without a mission leader mid-fight and needing to improvise extremely quickly. For someone younger or with less experience with strategizing on the fly, it could have been a death sentence. As Taka took off, he traveled in wide, ranging arcs, less concerned about traveling far down their direct path and more about surveying the area surrounding their direct path. His footsteps were whisper-soft, every movement carefully placed to avoid disturbing the environment; like a ghost he slipped through the boughs of shaded trees, keeping his tired eyes peeled for anything unusual. All was well until Sachi’s light voice crackled in over the comms; he held a finger up to his earpiece, securing it so he could hear her better. Anxiety rippled through him—had they been followed? ”Understood,” he replied. ”Coming back.” The route back was shorter than his journey out—he clung to the treeline, moving quickly but quietly, keeping a low profile so as to be able to observe Sachi, the cart, and whatever was traveling behind them from an unseen distance. When he was fifty meters behind Sachi’s position, barely a minute or two later, he spoke softly over the radio again, keeping his voice low so as not to give away his location. ”Fifty meters behind and observing,” he said. ”Following your lead.” A tacit reminder that she was still in charge, despite the new introduction of potential danger: he wasn’t going to take over before she had a chance to really see the mission through, no matter how concerned he was for her safety.

Kisei Sachi -- 370

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kisei Sachi]

Kisei Sachi🌸

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

A wave of reassurance washed over the young kunoichi, settling her nerves without her fully recognizing the anxiety that had gripped her moments before. She reminded herself of Taka's vigilant observation, acknowledging his unseen presence despite the distance. Exhaling slowly, she cleared her mind, preparing for the unfolding situation as she intertwined her arms behind her and waited for Taka's report.

"Hmm," she pondered briefly, tilting her head in thought before pressing the radio button to respond to Taka's inquiry. Her soft voice resonated quietly through the radio waves, "I would prefer if our employer and horse don’t start panicking…”

The genin was cautious, opting for a non-confrontational approach. She aimed to avoid unnecessary force, adhering to their primary mission of protection rather than apprehension. A small glance looked back as she briefly danced the possibility of letting their employer get scared to show off their capabilities but that was underhanded and inconsiderate, so it quickly left her.

Amidst the shadows of the trees, 4 bandits trekked within the grassy side of the road. They appeared ragged and under-equipped, wielding swords that betrayed a lack of proper care. The weapons bore the stains of previous encounters, with traces of both blood and rust marring their surfaces. A pungent aroma of iron and blood clung to their clothing and gear, a telltale sign of their violent endeavors. These bandits seemed malnourished and feeble, their frames betraying a lack of physical prowess. Moving with a calculated but not cautious gait, they trailed the cart down the road.

Their staggered movements, mainly on the left side relative to the cart, revealed a lack of awareness for keen ears. From their careless perspective, only one shinobi guarded the cart, oblivious to the fact that Sachi was also a shinobi, thinking she was the daughter of the employer and worth some ransom. When Taka had left briefly to scout ahead, they decided to follow, finding the cart to be an easy target worth a pretty penny.

"Bushin no Jutsu,” Whispering, the kunoichi performed three hand seals, conjuring a clone by her side. The clone discreetly moved to the visible side of the cart as Sachi continued to communicate her plan to Taka. "If they commit to an attack on the clone, I think that’s just reason to take them out, quietly if possible?" Sachi proposed, expressing her preference for a subtle approach. Despite her reluctance to expose Taka to potential danger, she trusted in his abilities and pushed aside any apprehensive thoughts.

The Sachi clone continued its simulated distraction, skipping closer to some flowers with an air of innocence, stopping just 50 meters down. Meanwhile, the real Sachi maintained her low profile at the side of the cart, monitoring the bandits' movements closely. As the cart progressed, the bandits, eager to seize what appeared to be an easy target, closed in on the fake Sachi. Their shabby weapons were drawn, directed menacingly at the illusory figure.

"They’ve made their appearance,” Sachi swiftly communicated into the radio, a sense of urgency underlying her words.

–🌸-

Attempt by Necro
Tags:Kisei Takatō

[Kisei Takatō]

SLEEP NO MORE

”Understood.” Sachi preferred a quiet approach so as not to frighten their client and the animal drawing their payload—a smart decision, and one very in line with their work as shinobi. Sometimes making a big display of force could be effective, but the simple act of distraction and silent elimination was more useful the majority of the time. Sachi’s strategy of deploying a clone to distract their targets was a clever one: the bandits were not trained enough in shinobi tacts to tell the difference between an academy clone and a shadow clone, so the petite girl emanating innocence was an obvious and easy target to the worn-down, desperate quartet. Taka waited until all four of their attention was on the fake Sachi, focusing his chakra on the edges and tips of his flattened hands: the Naifu technique, lending sharp lethality to blunt hand-to-hand combat. As soon as one of the bandits lunged to take hold of the fake Sachi, Taka made his move: flash-stepping forward to appear behind the bandit and bringing his sharpened hand down in a fatal chop to the crook of the bandit’s neck, sending a spray of blood across the hard-packed dirt off the road. Fluidly shifting into the next movement, Taka turned to the second bandit beside the first, who did not have enough time to even issue a cry of surprise or fear: with the tips of his fingers he threw a light jab, cutting lightly into the bandit’s chest, then followed up with a stronger snap-strike with his dominant hand, piercing through his abdomen and gutting him from navel to sternum. By this point the jig was up, and the two remaining bandits were panicking, whirling on Taka to attack him in a frenzy. Their weapons were shabby, but they were still weapons, and Taka caught gashes to his bicep and collarbone for his trouble: by the third attack he had caught up to what was happened and lifted his hand to block the blow, soaking another slash to his forearm in order to dominate the bandits’ melee space, grappling the man around the waist and tossing him to the ground with a heavy thunk. He was left wheezing and helpless on the ground; Taka put him out of his misery with a clean slice to the throat, blood bubbling out of his windpipe and into the ground. Taka turned to look at the lone remaining bandit, mouth pressed into a flat line, eyes sunken and tired into the hollows of his face, blood splattered across his face and hands. The sole survivor threw his sword down and fled, and Taka did not pursue. ”All clear,” he radioed to Sachi, once the man had disappeared. He took a moment to pull the bodies off the road, laying them neatly off to the side for scavengers to find; then he performed a simple transformation jutsu in lieu of being able to quickly clean himself off, turning into just himself, but without all the bloodstains. Once the violent scene was handled, Taka would rejoin the party with pensive quiet for the rest of the journey. Thankfully, though, there would not be any more deadly interruptions, and they would be able to see the shipment safely to Kusagakure under Sachi’s guidance and care. [exit.]

Kisei Sachi -- 549

LAIKA OF THQ

SPOILER: Click to show

- went a little nuts here to try to wrap the thread up before we both vacation :suffering:
- Taka used the Knife technique to make his slaphands deadly then went ham on two of the bandits
- the remaining two attacked him while he was busy killing the second one
- caught some minor injuries but was able to dispatch the third without too much trouble
- intimidated the fourth into running away
- cleaned up the scene and transformation jutsu'd to make himself look less like a psycho killer and rejoined the party
- no more problems, mission success


NAME: Naifu [Knife]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
After years of taijutsu training, the user can use their limbs as lethal weapons. With this technique, the user is capable of turning cutting and piercing with either the side of their open palm or even just the finger. A true master of this technique is capable of cutting a falling leaf in half with a single move without disturbing its path.

At this level, the user is capable to cut through most objects such as wood and stone, and however it cannot cut through metal.


NAME: Kirioroshi [Downward Knife Hand Cut]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
DESCRIPTION:

Killing blow created with the sole intent of maiming or ending the life of an opponent. After forming a 'knife hand' the user brings it down on a target's vital area with immense speed and power. The precision of this strike will dictate its lethality. While normally aimed at the neck the user may target the kidneys, groin, head, ribs, or other vital spot although the throat and area around the collarbone seems the ideal target. Due to the force of this attack the user has a chance to damage their hand if used repeatedly. Small fractures of even complete breaks of the hand can occur if used back-to-back. Though the technique is forceful enough to smash through hard surfaces and armor, this risk only compounds if used against them.

NAME: Zenbu-Soku Tsuki [Front Snap Punch]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
DESCRIPTION:

One of the most basic techniques of Jujitsu. Consisting of two sequential punches the user will first throw a small jab with their non-dominant hand to prepare for the next strike and then as they pull back instantly follow up with a snap punch from their main hand, making sure to twist their hips to gain extra power. Because of the deceptive nature of the first strike this basic but fundamental technique is great at catching opponents off guard.

NAME: Taiotoshi [Body Drop]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
DESCRIPTION:

Counterattack created to intercept a strike and bring the opponent to the ground. Upon blocking the initial attack the user will quickly move in and grapple the target near the collar or waist while extending their leg outwards. Using their own momentum against them the user will then toss the opponent, tripping them with their outstretched leg and throwing them harshly to the ground. Capable of knocking the wind out of an opponent and leaving them vulnerable to further attack.